Merry Got Me Thinking

On Christmas Eve, Seth Godin (an excellent marketing blogger that you should follow) wrote a short blog called "Merry." The point of this little blurb was "you can't be merry by yourself."

"Merry" got me thinking. You really can't be merry by yourself. One of the greatest gifts that God gives us is other people -- both people that we know and people that we don't know. I don't personally know Seth Godin, but he impacts my brain, in a good way, I think. Sometimes we are blessed from a distance by the presence of other people. It must have been the same for Joseph and Mary. Two people, probably not with a lot of friends after (what seems to be) a pregnancy scandal. However, the birth of a child -- a Savior brings a little "merry" to the scene. Shepherds come and wise men come from afar, bringing good gifts to people they do not even know.

I would have to say that the Christmas season calls us to be merry for more than just the simple idea that Christmas should be a time filled with charity and warmth. It seems scriptural for us to be together. As Godin writes, "merriment requires a group" -- whether that's a group of rejoicing strangers or close family members. So, let us choose to be together this season and always, celebrating the mystery of merriment as we rejoice in Christ.

The Hunger Games

Today my lovely fiance decided to fart on me....again...probably for the millionth time ever. Then, I remembered a blog that I was going to write about him, but never did. So, here it goes.

Back in November, prior to Thanksgiving, we were in Tampa the night before we boarded our Carnival cruise (My grandparents took us on a cruise for their 50th wedding anniversary). While we were in Tampa, my whole family (cousins, aunts, uncles and grandparents included) went walking downtown to find a restaurant. We found a fancy, organic pizza restaurant and all went in to order. Everyone seemed to either order something personally or we were paired up with "pizza buddies," as I like to refer to them. For some reason, I volunteered to be paired up with Kyle and my brother, Brent. Together, we would share some organic, thin-crusted pepperoni pizza. When the pizza arrived, I was talking with my parents about something and I was also waiting on a plate. The rest of this story happened in slow motion. There I am talking, and I look over to see a ton of this pizza demolished -- gone, nihil. My jaw dropped and my Maslow's Hierarchy of needs crashed. Food!!! They were totally taking it from me. Not just some of it -- all of it. So, I started yelling, "Hey! Hey! Let me have some pizza!!" So, they gave me one, small, square piece. Oh no, I wasn't having this. I demanded another piece, and then, the pizza was gone.

There I was, failing at this hunger game. So, in short, Kyle farts on me and deprives me of food. No, just kidding. I just like to give him crap. I actually really love him and am excited to marry him :). Speaking of Kyle, he just woke up from one of his notorious naps. Guess what he dreamed about? Pizza. Not kidding.

December Update

This semester is coming to a close! Hard to believe. After visiting Asbury Theological Seminary back in October, I decided to apply. I just found out on Tuesday that I was accepted to the seminary! So, it looks like Kyle and I will be moving to Kentucky in August. We are both pretty excited about it. We've talked about living somewhere else other than Kansas, and this seems like the perfect opportunity.

Kyle will be student teaching next semester and I will be finished with classes in December. I will finish out a minor degree next Spring and be around to work on campus ministry and chapel. Kyle and I will both graduate in May and then we will be wedding hopping throughout the summer. One of my great friends gets married in May, Kyle and I get married in June, my roommate gets married in July and then by BFF gets married in August! And I am in all of the weddings. I can't believe it! It's fun and crazy. So, for the time being, I will leave you with some wedding inspiration from my brain, just so you can see what's up. More to come in the future....

Norah the Explorer

This past weekend was our Fall Break at Southwestern (it couldn't have come at a better time, btw). So, for break, Kyle and I and some of our friends went to visit Asbury Seminary in Wilmore, Kentucky. The trip was great -- Asbury is a wonderful community and place to be. Kyle and I are looking forward to going there (most likely) after summer. Anyways, one of my least favorite parts about road trips is driving. When I left for college, my parents invested in a GPS for me. I l-o-v-e my GPS. I call her Norah -- Norah the Explorer. Norah and I have been many places together. From Chicago to Dallas to Kentucky, Norah is my girl. Over time, I have gotten to know her and I have learned her tricks. I hope these are helpful to you.

1. Norah is a genius, she remembers all of our trips and can ultimately take me back to that Forever 21 in Dallas if I just look in my "Recently found" category.

2. Norah tells me the actual speed I am going and seems to one-up by odometer often.

3. Norah does not respond well to road construction and detours --in this case, you MUST follow the actual detour, not her. I know, she's so sneaky.

4. When Norah tells you to "keep left" what she actually means is "don't go right." You don't have to go over to the farthest left lane, she just doesn't want you to go right. This is one of the best tips I could give when GPS-ing.

5. Norah is a good sport, she doesn't care how many times you yell "Shut up!" at her -- she never gets mad or raises her voice.

6. With that said, she also will not shut up. So if you want her to be quiet while you are disobeying her, you must turn her off.

7. Turn her off to keep your own sanity. No worries, she will come back on.

8. Norah's greatest companion is Google maps.

9. Norah can sometimes be stuck her ways. If you don't update her, don't expect her to have the latest map knowledge.

10. Norah can avoid toll roads if you want her to, but a forewarning, you probably don't want her to.

11. Norah will predict every step of your whole trip before you even begin. Look through her itinerary before you leave or she might pull a fast one on you.

12. Sometimes it's best to only reveal parts of your trip to her at a time. Break your trips into 1/3's. "Hey, Norah, we are going to Kansas City first, not Joplin." It keeps her on her toes.

13. Just because Norah says that you are going to get there at 11:18 doesn't mean that you will actually get there at that time. There is no need in submitting your schedule to hers. Show her who is boss.

Now that you've gotten to know Norah a little better, I hope your GPS life becomes a little bit easier. 3 Cheers for Norah.

Gobs of Jobs

Today the world has lost an excellent business man and a creative thinker. If you haven't heard by now, Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple, passed away. Even in his death, this man is trending on Twitter and is already a pre-search option on Google. As one tweeter put it, he is "the 'apple' of everyone's technological eye." As I was sitting here watching Twitter blow up with over 40 new tweets about Steve Jobs every 30 seconds, I got to thinking. Seriously -- what a loss our world is experiencing. The co-founder of Apple a.k.a. - MacBooks, Ipods, Ipads, Iphones is dead. But, he leaves with a legacy. Everyone one Twitter is #Isad.

I only have one desire, one hope. Steve Jobs, you better have trained leaders up to take your place. What good is our creative thinking and ingenuity if those who follow us cannot function after we are gone? We need gobs of Jobs. We need our followers to become as great of leaders. And, as leaders, that should be our number one priority while we are here, doing our day-to-day.

It Started with Matilda

Currently I am sitting, proctoring a test at Southwestern College. It's a statistics test -- Lord knows I abhor math. However, there is something about getting to be a teacher that intrigues me. All my life I wanted to be a teacher. It started with the movie, Matilda, when I was seven. I came to college with the idea that I would be majoring in elementary education. I wanted to be an awesome elementary teacher! However, when I felt the call to ministry, I switched my major and have been a Philosophy and Religion major ever since. Now, I am planning on going to seminary in the fall of 2012. Whoa, things have changed a bit. However, I still really want to be a teacher. Campus ministry feels like my calling right now (and I am sure that will develop more as I go along) but do I ever want to be a professor! I have had, what I like to call, the "professor thought" many times. I would love to teach practical ministry classes at a college. I have even thought these through:

Imagine this: REL 242: Worship Arts and Design. In this class, we would talk about worship planning and would do some hands-on Art and worship design (from altars, to power point backgrounds, etc.). Or, imagine this: Rel 321: Shaping your Christian Beliefs. Because this is a 300 level course, some philosophy, theology and other courses would be required prior to this. However, I would love to lead students through shaping their beliefs, section by section and have them develop a creed throughout the class.

So what's the hold up? Ph.D. Oh man. My fiance/soon-to-be hubby would love that! School for the rest of my life.

Dr. Molly Komlofske-Just. It could be cool. Ahhh the dreamy thoughts Matilda causes. I have had some GREAT teachers and professors. I want to be one of those...

A Bieber Impression

Yes, I will get it out on the table right now, Justin Bieber impressed me. I became a Bieber fan last year during PT – my kids at Walnut Hill LOVED him. We listened to him during arts and crafts, made up dances to his songs, quoted his songs at lunch, sang them again at recess, etc. Like any teeny bopper pop star, he was all over, and I was ok with that. This summer, a month or so ago, I heard his song “Pray.” The chorus quotes, “I close my eyes, and I can see a better day, I close my eyes and pray.” You can google the whole song, if the Bieber fan inside you is itching. However, on with the story – the other day, I was at Elmwood, in arts and crafts with the kids, and we were listening to music. Our high school seek and serve, Emily, made a play list for the kids, and on the list was the song “Pray.” As the kids were sitting there, innocently making their arts and crafts and singing along, I was thrust into a much more deeper moment. Watching them in that moment, experiencing innocent joy, I realized that PT helps many of them close their eyes and see better days. Some of our kids come from hard backgrounds, and PT is a safe place for them to come. Others have great home lives and come to PT to learn and dream. I really cherish both circumstances and acknowledge that I am around them. Children really are powerful people – no matter where they are in their lives, they can close their eyes to see better things. I have been blessed to be a part of that for the last two summers.

At our family fun night last Thursday, I was talking with one of our fifth graders, Nahomi. She was telling me how most of the time she is really joyful, but lately she had been crying because she knows that PT is going to end soon. We were carrying on a long conversation about the summer and all things PT when I decided to ask her what she would like to be when she grew up. So, I asked the question, she thought diligently for a few moments and her eyes lit up as she said, “I want to be a PT intern, just like you!”

Ahh, I close my eyes and see better days. Better things – when Nahomi is an intern at Project Transformation. This is really what it's about, ya?

A Royal Affair

Last week at Project Transformation, international week was a hit! I think our kids really enjoyed all of the activities. They did so many things -- they went on a virtual gondola ride when we studied Italy and got to make some garlic bread. When we studied Egypt, they learned about mummies and made their own headdresses. When we studied Japan they made their own watercolors, learned how to write some words in Japanese, learned about Japanese table etiquette and ate some peanut butter and jelly "sushi," and they also made origami. Then, on Thursday, the buzz was all about the Royal Wedding! The kids were so excited and so many of them came dressed up for the affair, or brought dresses and suits to wear! Throughout the week, the girls worked on fascinators during recess and the boys made bow ties. Thursday brought all of their efforts and excitement together. Some of the elementary girls and boys were flower girls and ring bearers and some of the youth were bridesmaids, groomsmen and ushers. PT staff and alumni even dropped by for awhile. We had so much fun! Check out the pictures from Elmwood's royal affair this past week and enjoy! *Please know I wish I could include pictures of the kids -- but due to safety and PT policy I cannot. But, trust me, they were adorable!*

Elmwood turned Abbey?

Time has flown by this summer at Project Transformation (as always), but I feel as if this year has been even faster than last year! God has blessed me with a wonderful, cooperative and fun-loving team and a wonderful site-coordinator this summer at Elmwood, the site I am serving with. I can't believe we are currently on week 6 out of 8. Have you ever watched a bathtub drain? Then, towards the end, the tornado/vortex looking thing starts spiraling around? I feel like I am about to head into that vortex...time is really draining fast! It's crazy, fun, happy and sad all at the same time. Nevertheless, time ticks.

These past few weeks at Elmwood, we have talked about many different things. We've had a superhero week, neighborhood week, space week, medieval week, girls/boys week, and this week we have gone international! We are studying different, select countries from around the world. Monday, we took a look at Italy, today we talked about Egypt, tomorrow we are hitting up Japan and Thursday, yes, Thursday...we are headed to England! When planning for England, we decided to be pioneer our way through PT history and do something that no site has ever done before -- we are throwing a royal wedding! It will be complete with flowers, British flags, accents, fancy hats, dressed up children, and even Prince William, Princess Kate, Pippa, Queen Elizabeth, Prince Harry and many others. Now isn't that the perfect cup of tea? Enjoy the inspirational picture for now and look back in a few days for pictures from Elmwood's Royal Wedding, which will take place at.....Elmwood Abbey, duh!

Chills

I was at the Village church this morning in Dallas and one of the pastors said something really profound. He said, "We are all called to a ministry of presence." It was not something that was the climax of his talk or sermon. He was actually just making announcements and was talking about helping one of their partner churches in Sudan. Partaking in the "ministry of presence" was something he actually mentioned in passing. It was so natural, so good, and it stopped me in my tracks.

We are called to be present. In all things. How many days do I wish would pass by quicker? Alot. I am doing Project Transformation again this summer and I don't know how many times during training week I wished I would have had a clicker with a fast-forward button. But whoa, people need us to be present. The children I work with every day need all of me to be present -- body, mind, spirit, soul.

I can be in ministry, just by being fully present. Mmm, it gives me chills.

3:55 in a 4:00 O'Clock World

The other day, my friend, Lauren, and I made a quick trip to Wal-Mart to grab some alfredo sauce. In the mean time, we decided that we were going to go to Sonic before happy hour ended. It was about 3:55 (happy hour is from 2-4) and there was a line of cars, out in the street taking up the entire turning lane. Lauren and I were in this mess and when we looked back behind us, about a minute later, there were cars from three different intersecting points, blinkers on, trying to get into this Sonic fast track. Then, when we finally did get on the Sonic premises, cars would not even take the parking stalls, they proceeded to all make one big line through the drive-thru in which no one else could pass by to even get to empty slots. Whoa, whoa, whoa! This really is the world in which we often live -- procrastination, waiting until the last second, throwing things together, committing to too many things, thinking 5 more minutes will be our saving grace.

You know, if you go to Sonic at 3:00 there won't be a line. There won't be crazies trying to come at you from at least three different directions. You can take some time to breathe and actually enjoy that Raspberry Limeade a bit.

After that trip to Sonic, I decided, I don't want to be the rushing 3:55 in a 4:00 o'clock world, hoping I will make the cut.

Integrity Found in the Strangest of Places...

Tonight, in my Leadership and Ethical Worldviews class, we discussed integrity and what exactly it is. While I was thinking about that very question last week, and while I was trying to prepare an answer, I decided that integrity is this: replacing the toilet paper in the upstairs bathroom when the toilet paper is in the closet, in the kitchen, downstairs.

How easy it is to cheat your way out of having to be the one that puts the toilet paper back on the roll!! Especially when no one is around.

Skunks and Chicken Nuggets

Random! Here are some things I have been thinking lately, so I thought these would fit well in a random post...

• It is totally "skunk season" around Kansas. There are skunks everywhere, dead and alive. It's gross!
• Speaking of skunks, I think the smell of a skunk vaguely resembles freshly fried chicken nuggets from McDonalds. Oh yeah, that's why I don't eat there.
• There is a marketing blogger named Seth Godin. He writes blogs everyday. You can have them sent to your e-mail -- they are a good daily read to make you think. My favorite advice from him so far -- "No one is going to pick you. Pick yourself." I pick me, I pick me!
• Shepherd's pie is seriously delicious. You should eat it sometime. I made it on Tuesday night. It's SO good! But you have to put peas in it.
• I think the name "Titan," for a boy, is seriously cool. I like names with meaning.
• Today at the mall, with my mom and sister, we saw a sign that said "Want an hour-glass figure? Corsets, 20% off." My mom read the sign out-loud and then said, "Not if I have to squeeze into that thing." It was funny.
• Squirrels are cute, but I believe they are rabid.
• This weekend, the Kingdom Committee that I co-lead with another student is hosting a "sleep-out" to promote awareness about Imagine No Malaria, a campaign that is striving to eradicate Malaria by 2015. I am really excited about the way God has been helping us raise awareness for this cause! It's awesome.
• If passionate prayer makes the biggest difference of all, why the heck do we/and the church lack in this area?
• I have this dream and vision for the UMC church -- it's causing me a lot of thought.
• I wonder where my life will be next year at this time.
• This summer, I am going back to Project Transformation!! I can't wait.

Fireflies

I have been finishing up a book called "Souls in Transition" for my campus ministry practicum. The book is about emerging young adults. I have decided that it is kind of strange to read a book about people in the age group that I am in. The book has been a really good source of research for me, as well as a source of personal reflection. The contents of the book reflect on how young adults see life, spirituality, friendships, community service, parents, college, marriage, job-hunting etc.

However, one common theme has stuck out to me. The theme of loneliness. One thing that I have inferred from my reading and personal reflection is that young adults are lonely. The spectrum of loneliness is a wide one -- in short, young adults are lonely in many ways. The ironic part of this particular type of loneliness is that students are in contact with people more than they ever have been thanks to technology and social networking: Texting, Facebook, Myspace, Twitter, IM, MSN chat, blogs, etc. As I was reading, unfortunately I found myself relating to this common theme. I was thinking about it and honestly my junior year is not one that I would really wish to re-live. I have found myself, in a legit and ironic way, lonely.

I have been talking with a good friend of mine about all of this -- she seems to be struggling with it, too, having moved to a new town. We were both reflecting on loneliness the other day and we were talking about how God uses us in our loneliness. She noted that she has been learning to trust God in a different way -- she has been trusting him to fill the loneliness of her heart. I think that has been happening to me, too. There are many nights when I sit with my journal and just write away, just asking God to see my heart, and to use me for something worthy. I have discovered that even though I have been struggling in particular ways, God has been responding to me in my times of desperation. He has really been excelling me in my gifts. He has been giving me opportunities to serve and respond to the gifts he has equipped me with. That part, has been glorious. In the past three months, I have been learning a lot about myself. God has constantly been pushing me beyond my comfort zone, he has been accelerating dreams and inspiring me to catch them and understand the beauty of them. And somehow, kind of like a child chasing fireflies late at night, I do.

Radical Hospitality

One of the greatest privileges I enjoy is being at least 20 years old and a junior. Here is why...I get to live in the Warren Apartments at college! These are the apartments that they show you on your campus visit, and they are the apartments that most people dream about if they come to SC. Now, hear me out, the Warren apartments are actually really nice. They are not typical college apartments. They are spacious...2 bedrooms (with big closets, a must for girls), 1 1/2 baths, a nice living room, kitchen and dining room. By the time you are a junior, it's time to have a kitchen! Having a kitchen has been one of the best things ever! I have really discovered that I love to cook.

Also, another reason that I love living in the Warren apartments is because it allows my roommates and I to be able to participate in radical hospitality. Hospitality is one of my favorite things!

I.love.having.people.over.

I especially love cooking for people and having them come over for supper. One of the best places to spend time with people is around the table, sharing a meal. Really, it does not get more organic than that. There is something cool about getting to eat together. I love providing people with a healthy, home-cooked meal. As college students, we eat one-too-many cafeteria meals.

Also, our apartment is often the meeting room for worship, prayer and regular community life! We sing, play games, watch movies…everything. I absolutely love it. It really has made me think lately, though. What an easy way to bless people! Really. This is what life in community is all about. Blessing people. Ah, it makes my Spirit really joyful. God continually just keeps blessing our apartment with wonderful people. On Thursday, we are having some friends over from Cowley Community College…they are excited for a home-cooked meal, and I am excited to bless them!

This is what it’s about. Mmm.